The declaration comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed during a press conference on Dec. 19 that Ukraine would not extend the transit agreement for Russian gas through its territory, which is set to expire on Dec.

Russia is ready to continue gas exports to Europe through several routes just as a contract to transit the fuel via Ukraine is expected to end this year, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.

The situation with European countries that buy Russian gas is very complicated and requires increased attention, the Kremlin said on Monday after talks the previous day between President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The increase was from a very low base in 2023, when Russian pipeline gas supplies to Europe plummeted by 55.6% to 28.3 bcm as Moscow's relations with the West sharply deteriorated due to the Ukraine conflict.

A major contract governing the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will come to end on January 1, with significant implications for Moscow’s exports to some European Union countries. “The end of the transit contract will mark an important shift because gas via Ukraine governed by the contract currently accounts for half of Russia’s remaining

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin on Sunday, a rare visit by a European Union leader to Moscow as a contract allowing for Russian gas to transit through Ukraine nears expiry.